News And Blogs

Coming to the Digital Stage: Matthew Bourne's Cinderella, which last played the Ahmanson Theatre in 2019, joins our Digital Stage lineup for five performances only from January 15–17, 2021. The following article and podcast were originally published ahead of our Ahmanson run....

The Cinderella Story of Matthew Bourne and his 'Cinderella'

Dear Community Member, If you’ve never been to Center Theatre Group before, I want to welcome you to what I hope will be a wonderful experience. For those of you who are returning…it’s nice to have you back here with us!

A Letter from Michael Ritchie: October 2018

Theatre thrives on patronage; not just from audiences, but from donors and institutions who have a stake in keeping the stage lights on. In the spirit of artistic philanthropy, The Blue Ribbon—The Music Center’s premier women’s support organization—celebrated 50 years of giving by hosting a series of events spotlighting the resident...

L.A. Playwrights Get Blue Ribbon Certified

How does a new (play with a) musical get made? To quote Soft Power, It Just Takes Time. In this case, that’s four years, 13 readings and workshops, and the partnership of a crackerjack creative team of American theatre all-stars. But before all that, there was breakfast, as Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Michael Ritchie and playwright Dav...

Four Years, Two Breakfasts, and One Big Commission

In 2018, Ahmanson audiences will experience Soft Power, a World premiere from theatrical titans David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly) and Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home).

Center Theatre Group Partners with East West Players on 'Soft Power'

Some of the greatest and most innovative playwrights in American theatre have written major new works commissioned by Center Theatre Group, from Luis Valdez’s Zoot Suit and Anna Deavere Smith’s Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 to Rajiv Joseph’s Archduke. As we celebrate our 50TH Anniversary, we are committing ourselves to doing more to support the...

Center Theatre Group Joins Forces with Top Playwrights and Theatres

Fifty years ago this month, on April 9, 1967, the Mark Taper Forum and Ahmanson Theatre were dedicated at a star-studded event. Actor Gregory Peck proclaimed, “Tonight marks the realization of what seemed an impossible dream. Since we didn’t inherit great cultural monuments, we had to create our own.” Speaking before the opening production at...

Our 50th Anniversary, A Sondheim Classic, and a Celebration of L.A. Theatre

Fifty years to the week of Center Theatre Group’s beginning, and the opening of the Ahmanson Theatre and Mark Taper Forum, the Los Angeles Times marked our anniversary with three stories that look to our past, present, and future.

The ‘Los Angeles Times’ Marks our Golden Anniversary

When Center Theatre Group opened our doors in Los Angeles in 1967, the regional theatre movement in this country was in its infancy. It was a bold vision and brought with it a cultural renaissance. A fundamental component of this new theatre model was philanthropic funding, including from the government. Regional theatre was never meant to survive...

A Call to Protect Funding for the Arts

This month, we’re proud to have productions at three theatres—plus a bonus live art theatrical experience—that demonstrate our commitment to diversity in every sense of the word.

Civil Rights, Memoirs, and a World Premiere Playwright

This month, Center Theatre Group brings you two productions that broke new ground artistically and in terms of representing different aspects of the American experience onstage.

The Return of an L.A. Classic and a Very Fun Home